Road Closure Information
While the majority of road closures in New Zealand are dealt with quickly, sometimes especially in the case of natural causes like flooding, snow and ice, slippage or rock falls roads can be closed for extended periods of time. When travelling In New Zealand it pays to check the route ahead and make sure to avoid any closed roads to avoid delays.
The NZTA Website has all the updates on road closures, making it very easy to see the trouble spots and plan detours.
Inter Island Ferry Cancellations
Travel between the North and South Islands of new Zealand by car or bus will require the use of an interisland ferry. There are two main ferry services operating in the Cook Strait; the Interislander and the Bluebridge Ferry.
For up to date information on ferry crossings, cancellations and delays it is best to contact the the Bluebridge Ferry and Interislander ferry operators directly.
KiwiRail Disruptions
New Zealand has a series of well utilised rail links spread across the country. Sometimes these lines can be closed for repairs or due to slips and other damage.
For rail updates see the KiwiRail website. Rail New Zealand is also useful for notifications and booking details.
City Transport Delays
When travelling in New Zealand’s larger city’s it can be useful to avoid traffic congestion, roadworks and accident sites, the NZ Transport Agency provides an excellent resource for journey planning, traffic delays and local Highway information or see below for individual city links.
- Wellington. Metlink is a great source of online travel updates for Wellington city, along with the NZTA Regional Traffic Information.
- Auckland. Auckland Transport’s Bus Train Ferry site is great for public transport updates and the NZTA Regional Traffic Information for Auckland gives up to date traffic warnings and Auckland travel times and roading issues.
- Christchurch. The NZTA in Christchurch provides journey planning advice, road closures and congestion updates.
- Queenstown. For Queenstown check out the new Real Time Transport App available from the NZTA.
NZ Disaster Assistance Contacts
When disaster strikes, ensuring the safety of family members and friends is at the forefront of most people’s minds. Here are the main disaster assistance contacts within New Zealand.
- Civil Defence Emergency Management. New Zealand’s specialised emergency management organisation. See live updates from the NZ Civil Defence Twitter or Facebook pages.
- Get Ready Get Thru. Government initiative providing information on how to cope in a disaster situation, who to call for help and advice on emergency survival items.
- NZ Police. The official police service of NZ. Call 111 in an emergency, or use the regional NZ Police numbers when not an emergency.
- Medical Specialists And Healthcare services. For information on where to find health care service in New Zealand.
- Fire Emergency Services. In the event of fire contact the NZ Fire Department for assistance (Dial 111) Anything that may “cause loss of life, serious injury or loss of property” is considered a fire emergency.
- NZ St John Ambulance Services. NZ’s public ambulance service operates 24 hours 7 days a week, dial 111 for ambulance services in New Zealand.
- Metservice. National weather information and severe weather warnings for New Zealand towns, cities, rural and marine areas as well as expected mountain and alpine conditions.
Disaster Relief Organisations In NZ
While it is fortunate that serious damage is usually limited, it is little consolation to directly affected residents. If you’d like to help in some way please consider donating to the NZ Red Cross, who provide food, water and first aid care on the ground.
It is also possible to support individual causes through the nationwide GiveALittle page.
Before setting out on your New Zealand road trip it is always a good idea to plan ahead, check for road closures, make sure you have emergency contact information and be prepared. Keep these contacts handy and stay safe out there on the road.
